Which nail shape is right for you - trends for 2022

Natural nail shape

The body of a human nail consists of several parts:

• nail plate;
• side rollers;
• cuticles;
• smile lines;
• free edge.

The smile line is where the edge and bed of the nail meet.

The natural shape of nails varies depending on how the following lines are positioned:

• lateral (located between the rollers and the plate);
• nail plate;
• cuticles (located between the cuticle and the plate).

Basic 4 nail shapes:

• square;
• trapezoidal;
• rectangular;
• oval.

When doing a manicure, you need to take into account the natural shape of an overgrown nail, and also take into account the parameters of the hand, fingers, and nail bed. The most harmonious shape of the nail looks, which is a reflection of the bend of the cuticle.

Rules for choosing a suitable form

A manicure, the beautiful shapes of which will make your hands elegant and attractive, largely depends on the chosen shape. But in addition to the appearance of the hands and the length of the nail plate, you should also pay attention to such a seemingly unimportant parameter for the design of nails as character:

• Square nails are ideal for prudent, resourceful people. In addition, this form will be preferred by ladies with a strong and independent character who clearly see the goal and ways to overcome obstacles on the way to it.
• The soft square and the ballerina are preferred by sincere women who are capable of idealizing everything around them. This choice can also speak of independent ladies who are unable to ask for help, but who zealously throw themselves at the barricades for the sake of someone.
• The circle is more suitable for creative people. Such women are distinguished by sentimentality and heightened emotions, a desire for justice, amorousness and naivety.
• Sharp nail shapes are a sign of danger and commercialism, healthy selfishness and desire for luxury.

However, recently, when the basic ideas of style are dictated by minimalism, preference is given to the easiest options to create and maintain shape.

The basic rule remains relevant: short ones should be lengthened, curved ones should be straightened, long ones should be shortened.

Nail shapes with grown edges

Taking into account the above data, with a grown nail, you can make a wide variety of shapes.

Square

This is one of the popular forms. A clear square has straight lines and sharp corners.

In a soft square, the corners are slightly rounded, but the lines remain straight. This form of nails is more practical and convenient, although it looks no less impressive.

Oval

The oval shape is made with parallel side lines. It masks imperfections of the nail plate and looks good with a round cuticle line. The oval is great for further modeling of the nail as it grows.

Square oval

This form is made with a wide nail plate. It looks like an oval, but has sawn edges with slightly rounded tips.

Almond

A very popular nail shape at all times. The pointed end of the free edge with soft lines makes the nails graceful.

Stylet

This shape cannot be made from a natural nail plate. It is constructed using gel or acrylic extensions. What form this design has is clear from the name. The nail has a very sharp edge.

Ballerina

Another name for the form is pointe shoes. This is a telling name. The nail plate at the end has the same shape as a ballerina's pointe shoes. The almond-shaped shape is taken as the basis here, but its edge is filed like a square shape, i.e. straight and sharp. The pointe shoes look great and are quite comfortable. This is a universal shape that fits any look. The ballerina is very popular among secular people.

Pipe

The pipe is made on artificial nails: helium or acrylic. The shape fully corresponds to its translation “tube”. In this case, the own nail is filed down into an oval square, and artificial material is applied on top to form an arch. It lasts well and looks perfect on any nails. However, it is not recommended to make a pipe all the time; you can ruin your own plate.

Soft square shaped nails

The “soft square” shape can compete with the classic square “scratches”; it is considered more advanced and much more feminine.
This design involves filing the edges almost square, but leaving the ends delicately rounded. Square and slightly rounded at the edges of the ends looks best in combination with rectangular hollows. The soft square plate has many advantages, including:

• prevents excessive fragility;
• visually makes hands more delicate, feminine and sensual;
• Suitable for fingers of any size and thickness;
• visually lengthens fingers, making them more neat;
• looks impressive at any length;
• gives you the opportunity to freely experiment with design and drawing.

How to choose a nail shape

In addition to the fact that when manicure you need to take into account the natural shape, you should not forget about the structure of your fingers and hands. It is also worth understanding that not every form can be used to. The nail design is selected so that it meets all the above parameters and is comfortable to wear.

For long fingers

Long fingers look good with any manicure. Almond-shaped nails look perfect on them. A square, both sharp and soft, works well for long fingers. Its length does not play a big role. Elegant and daring pipe and pointe shoes highlight the grace of long fingers.

For short fingers

But for women with short fingers, the round shape is ideal. She will stretch out her fingers, adding grace to them. Having an elongated plate, you can make pointe shoes of medium length.

For thick fingers

Oval and round shapes are ideal for thick fingers. With this manicure they will appear thinner and longer.

A square is absolutely not suitable for thick fingers. Visually they will become even thicker and shorter.

What nail shape do you prefer?

Round form

Rounded nails are popular today among those who love comfort and a feminine, but discreet design. Many people naturally have this manicure, while others specially file the edges to a rounded state. This option has one big advantage - there is a very low probability of breaking a nail if it gets caught on clothing or a household item.

The rounded edges of the plate look good on short, medium and long nails. But to make your hands look neat, you should choose the round shape of the tips only with rounded hollows.

Round ones will perfectly complement a business or romantic look, regardless of their length. They will look very cute with a plain manicure decorated with texture, such as knitted patterns. The circle-like shape also goes well with designs in subtle shades, ombre and large geometric patterns.

How to choose the length for a manicure

When choosing the length you need to take into account some details:

• nail strength;
• nature of work, hobby;
• length and shape of fingers.

Manicurists suggest using a length classification from 1 to 5:

• 1 – the shortest, suitable for those who work with small children and who have very fragile nails.
• 2-3 will be convenient for those who type on a keyboard or have thin fingers.
• 4-5 can be afforded by secular people. This length is suitable for complex designs, but is difficult to do any work with.

For ladies with thick or short fingers, you should not choose a length that is too short or too long.

Almond shaped nails

The almond-shaped plate is considered the most elegant; few are lucky enough to have it naturally. But in most cases, it can be created by growing the edges to the desired length and filing them correctly. Almond-shaped ones have an elongated shape with slightly pointed ends and a semicircular hollow. But “almonds” can only be afforded by those who have very strong natural or gel-strengthened claws, otherwise they will often break.

Almond-shaped manicure suits everyone; they make the image more elegant, sophisticated and feminine. This shape is ideal for those with small hands and short fingers, because almond-shaped nails visually make the fingers thinner and elongated, as if they were an extension of them. Almond-shaped edges look most advantageous when they are long, when the free edge is not inferior in size to the nail plate.

Almond-shaped nails are ideal for a single-color manicure with a glossy or matte surface. They are an excellent base for a shading-style finish and for a discreet classic manicure in nude tones with small decorative elements like rhinestones or monograms.

Trends 2022

Changing fashion never affects classic nail shapes. This happened this year too.

Nail shapes

Circle

The round shape is always in trend. It goes perfectly with short nails. This is a great option to be on trend for those with brittle nails.

Oval

The second classic option in 2022 is the oval, which also remains on the pedestal. A neat oval looks elegant at any age and with any type of design.

Square

A square with sharp corners is also a classic, so you can’t do without it in 2022. Sharp angles can be used to create an interesting design that will highlight the elegance of your hands and fingers.

Soft square

Of course, soft squares will remain trendy. This universal nail shape looks laconic and feminine, perfect for the office dress code. The soft square is very practical, it does not break off and does not catch clothes.

Almond

Stylish and elegant almonds will allow you to create a catchy look in 2021. For more effective solutions, it can be done on extended nails.

Stylet

The fashionable shape of the stiletto can hardly be called practical, but it can be called eccentric without a stretch. This form is suitable for creating an evening look, but working on a computer with it will be problematic.

Ballerina

The shape of a ballerina will give an immense flight of fantasy to the design. Elegant and sophisticated, it will decorate an evening look if it is successfully decorated.

Pipe

Pipe has not come into fashion very long ago and is not used often. To create a “tube”, fashionistas will have to extend their nails, because natural plates cannot take the shape of an arch.

Design

Fashion for nail design dictates a trend towards composite types. As the name suggests, the manicure will be a mixture of different styles, types of coatings, and colors.

Matte finish

One type of this trend is the combination of a matte finish with a glossy one. The matte finish of the nails itself will be at its peak, both when performed solo and with different designs:

• ombre;
• abstraction;
• geometry;
• floristics;
• foil;
• rhinestones;
• cobweb;
• minimalism.

Any of these designs can be used on one or more nails.

Matte manicure will suit any shape and length.

Different hands

In 2022, “wearing different hands” is very fashionable. There are several trend options here.

• Nails painted in different colors on one and the other hand;
• A repeating pattern on the hands, but in different tones, looks very extraordinary;
• You can paint the nails on one hand a single color, and apply designs on the nails of the other.
• You can make a jacket in different colors for each hand.

The imagination for the “different hands” design is simply limitless.

Nude

For many years now, nude manicure has been in the TOP of fashionable designs. It looks irresistible in any design:

• plain;
• different hands;
• foil;
• rhinestones;
• glitter.

Nude design suits all nail shapes. It can be made for every day and for going out.

In addition, among the fashionable designs for 2022, the following types of designs can be distinguished:

• marble;
• with foil;
• minimalism;
• rubbing;
• quail egg;
• abstraction;
• inscriptions;
• glitter;
• drawings;
• rhinestones;
• French;
• geometry;
• ombre;
• animal prints.

For long fingers

Long fingers look perfect with any nail shape. To be on trend, women with long fingers should try on the stiletto and square with sharp or soft corners, which are fashionable in 2022.

For short fingers

Short-fingered ladies need to be more decisive this year and try a ballerina this year, which will visually lengthen their fingers. On short fingers, almonds look good and will also add the missing length.

For thick fingers

Women with thick fingers, in order to keep up with fashion, should stick to a rounded nail shape: oval or circle.

Classic square shape

In recent years, square nails have been greatly popularized, the trend began to conquer the ratings of the best ideas for manicure and please the eye in all fashion magazines. This option resembles a square, and the outer tip is filed almost to a straight line.

The “square” looks best in combination with a rectangular cuticle. The great advantage of square nails is that they successfully complement hands, including wide and massive fingers. The “square” shape can present even hands with too wide nail plates in a favorable light.

Square nails look great at any length and provide ample opportunities for implementing non-standard design ideas. These are best suited for all kinds of geometric patterns, as well as for designs of any complexity.

Square ones have taken root well due to their durability and practicality; they are suitable even for those with brittle and weak nail plates. “Square” reduces the brittleness of nails and allows them to look as stylish as possible even with a very short length.

How to choose a shape if the nail bed is short or trapezoidal

When the plate is short and has practically no free edge, but its shape is beautiful, then you can make a round shape. As the nail grows, it will only need to be slightly adjusted without radically changing its shape.

In the future, you can make an almond shape on your nails, but not too long, otherwise there is a risk of breaking the nail, because a short stock will not be able to support a longer length.

It is more difficult to choose the shape of nails with a wide and trapezoidal bed. As an option, you can try an oval-square shape, which will slightly smooth out the imperfections of the nail plate.

There is another option to model the plate with gel or acrylic. Perhaps gradually its shape will smooth out a little and will not be so wide.

Beveled shape

Beveled edges are the most original and unusual. The bias edge is the latest modern trend, and not everyone can decide to do it. Such nails are longer on one side and shorter on the other, and the bevel is made almost straight, at an angle of 25-35 degrees.

To create a beveled effect, your claws must firstly be long, and secondly, very healthy and extremely strong, otherwise the result will not last long. It is best to use artificial or gel-strengthened plates as a basis; in this case, you can even insert some kind of decoration on the elongated end.

Beveled edges are a great choice for a bright and bold modern look, for a themed party or for a youthful getaway.

Gone trends

To follow fashion, you must always keep your finger on the pulse and follow not only new products, but also monitor anti-trends.

Design not relevant in 2022:

• multi-colored bright nails;
• large glitter;
• a lot of rhinestones;
• stencil designs;
• gradient;
• moon manicure;
• French manicure with dark edge;
• matte black design;
• design overloaded with voluminous patterns;
• extended nails.

Oval nails

Due to their ability to visually lengthen, oval nails are suitable for both short and wide nails and fingers. The medium or long shape ends in a semicircle, similar to the almond style. This feminine nail shape will help make wide fingers look thinner and short fingers look longer. Plus, you don't need to have very long nails to get an oval shape, just a little length is enough. A few millimeters of free edge is enough to have an effect. Once you've created this chic shape, you can pair it with cool prints or feminine pastels for a chic, runway-ready look.

How to do your own manicure

Without visiting a salon, you can do almost any of the proposed nail shapes yourself. It’s better to start with simple types, and then, after gaining experience, move on to more complex ones.

Square

A square cannot be made on a nail without a free edge. Its length must be at least 3 mm.

To obtain a square, the sides are processed first. To do this, place the file parallel to the right side roller and file it a little until a smooth wall is obtained. Then the same operation is performed on the left side.

After this, placing the file perpendicular to the free edge, file the nail to the desired length. When working, you need to ensure that:

• the file did not fall over;
• do not touch the growth points.

After finishing the work, you can check the correctness of the shape by applying the tool to the free edge. If there are no gaps between them, then the shape is perfect.

Oval

To obtain an oval, you need to mentally draw a line of symmetry, and then use a medium-grain file to file the corners on both sides towards the center, simulating a smile line.

Almond, triangle, stiletto

To work, you will need a file with a large grain.

If before this there was a square, then to get almonds you just need to file the corners; if there was an oval, the side walls are slightly narrowed.

Once sawing is complete, the sharp edge softens slightly. When working, you must ensure that all nails are the same length and do not differ in shape.

To obtain a stiletto or triangle, an almond shape is cut out, but the edge is left sharp.

Ballerina

The ballerina is modeled from an almond shape, only the sharp tip is filed off perpendicularly, as in a square.

Pipe

To get the pipe form you need:

• Set the shape correctly under the nail bed.
• Make a bend in the arch.
• File the sides.

After setting the shape, the nails are dried in a lamp for 45-60 seconds, and then the clips are installed and dried for another minute.

Then they file it like this: parallel to the sides, slightly narrow and round the edge to a semi-oval. When the nails are ready, you need to check the bend of the arch.

When making any form, you must follow the following recommendations:

• The abrasive coating of the file must not be damaged;
• The file is held strictly perpendicular to the plate;
• All lines are symmetrical;
• All 10 nails are the same length;
• After filing, shake off the dust and moisten the nail;
• To make the varnish lay more evenly, it must be applied after the base.

Tips for creating beautiful nails

1. Check out the different nail shapes including square, circle, oval, almond and ballerina.
2. Consider the shape of your fingers, the width of your nail plate, and the length of your nail to find your ideal shape.
3. If you prefer short nails, choose between square and circle.
4. If you have medium or long nails, then oval, almond and ballerina will suit you best.
5. Use elongated nail shapes such as almond, ballerina and oval to lengthen and make short and wide fingers appear longer and thinner.
6. For girls with long and thin fingers, it is better to choose a square nail shape to emphasize these advantages.

How to check that your nails are the same length

A manicure looks perfect when the nails have not only an ideal shape, but also the same length. The free edge is checked as follows.

• The nails of the index and ring fingers should be at the same level;
• The nail on the middle finger should be the same length as the index finger;
• The nail on the little finger is 1 mm smaller than on the ring finger
• The thumbnail is also 1 mm longer than the index fingernail.

Only by following these recommendations can you create the nails of your dreams.

Oval

An oval-shaped manicure visually elongates the fingers, giving them additional length and slenderness. With existing long fingers, hands look especially sophisticated; on short fingers, this type of manicure softens the image, elegantly increasing the length of the nails.

This option does not require a long free edge, therefore it is one of the most common forms; it can be created without additional extensions.

Variants of shape according to the bend of the cuticle

In modern nail service, three types of cuticle are distinguished, taking into account the line of its bend. A seemingly small nuance can play a decisive role when choosing a form. It happens:

• square;
• oval;
• triangular.

The oval cuticle is considered the most universal - its owners can choose the design to their taste. In other cases, everything is also quite simple - a square (soft or pointed) is suitable for a square; an oval, almond or extravagant stilettos are perfect for a triangle.

Design options

It is not surprising that great attention is paid to the selection of shape in any manicure courses. This is no less important than learning how to apply a perfectly even gel polish coating or remove cuticles without a single cut. Where to start if you are new to the field of nail service?

First of all, you should figure out what kind of nails you can make. There are four main design options:

• square;
• round;
• oval;
• pointed.

Each of them is perfect for some, but at the same time completely unsuitable for others. For a small percentage of girls, you can have your nails done in any shape and they will look good. But it’s unlikely that all your clients are among these lucky ones.

Just a few years ago, the main guideline in this matter was the trends set by the stars of world show business. If Jennifer Aniston, for example, appeared in public with a square manicure, it immediately became fashionable. But today everything has changed, and most women strive to choose what suits them. Let us consider in detail the advantages and features of each form separately.

Oval

An eternal classic that never lacks fans. And for good reason - this option looks elegant and as feminine as possible, makes the fingers visually longer, gives the hands elegance and aristocracy. This shape is advantageous for those with thin arms and is suitable for both long and short plates. Among its main advantages is the ability to make nails stronger. With it, you can safely start washing, cleaning and other manual work without fear of breaking a nail or ruining your manicure.

Round

One of the most versatile. It provides a short length when the nail protrudes beyond the edge quite a bit. This is an ideal choice for lovers of short manicures, young mothers, athletes, or in cases where long nails are prohibited by the dress code. This form looks neat even without coating - just a transparent gloss is enough, and the finished image is ready. It is resistant to damage, cracks and other unpleasant surprises. To make your nails look attractive, the artist must create a shape that follows the curve of the cuticle. Then the manicure will be not only neat, but also harmonious.

Square

A popular choice of recent years, which is dictated by trends, but is not suitable for everyone. They look best in the long version and are recommended for those with thin and delicate fingers. Otherwise, this shape will shorten the fingers and visually expand them. Its main disadvantage is low strength. Therefore, it is undesirable for those with fragile nails. Of course, the final choice remains with the client - many girls are ready to sacrifice inconvenience for the sake of aesthetics. When it comes to coating, a delicate French manicure looks flawless on square nails.

Pointed

It is created by filing the free edge on both sides diagonally. It is suitable for both natural and extended nails. The optimal choice for girls with thin and long fingers, who, combined with this shape, look even more elegant. There is also a more extravagant option called stiletto nails. It provides greater length and a smaller angle of sharpness. Despite the fact that it can hardly be called practical, many clients often choose it even for everyday wear.

Photo of the ideal manicure shape

Sources

• https://beautyhack.ru/krasota/formy-nogtey-dlya-manikyura
• https://naemi.ru/dizain-nogtei-na-korotkie-nogti-ovalnoi-formy-dlia-zhenshchin/
• https://www.cosmo.ru/beauty/nails/7-trendovyh-form-nogtey-kotorye-budut-populyarny-vsegda/
• https://modnyeidei.ru/formy-manikyura/
• https://prostonail.com/form/
• https://mimiledi.ru/krasota/manikyur/formy-nogtey-dlya-manikyura.html
• https://lifenail.ru/interesting/%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%BA-%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%BD%D1%8F%D1%82%D1%8C-%D0 %BA%D0%B0%D0%BA%D0%B0%D1%8F-%D1%84%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BC%D0%B0-%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0 %B3%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%B9-%D0%B2%D0%B0%D0%BC-%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%B4%D1%85.html